A Texas resident, Giovanni Pera Paschal, 40, is facing first-degree murder charges following the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Deanna Mason, 34, in a gas station parking lot. The incident, which took place in broad daylight, was captured on surveillance cameras. Paschal was apprehended by the San Antonio Police Department on Wednesday evening, as per local ABC affiliate KSAT.
The tragic event unfolded around 5:30 p.m. at a Valero gas station on the north side of San Antonio, near West Hildebrand Avenue and Blanco Road. Surveillance footage shows a man and a woman, later identified as Paschal and Mason, arriving in the same vehicle and parking next to a gas pump. The arrest report, obtained by local NBC/CW affiliate WOAI, details the sequence of events captured on camera.
The footage allegedly shows Paschal exiting the vehicle to pump gas before returning to the driver’s seat. Mason is then seen exiting the vehicle from the passenger side and walking away. Paschal is then seen following Mason and raising a hand towards her, after which Mason falls to the ground.
Mason was found by law enforcement with gunshot wounds to her chest and head. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, she succumbed to her injuries the following day, Sunday, Aug. 13, as confirmed by the Bexar County Medical Examiner.
Eyewitness accounts corroborated the surveillance footage, with witnesses stating they saw the man raise a gun, shoot the woman, and then flee in his vehicle. Prior to the fatal incident, Mason and Paschal were reportedly engaged in an argument, the details of which remain unknown, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Local media coverage of the crime scene showed a large puddle of blood partially covered by a piece of blue fabric, cracked sunglasses, and other evidence marked by yellow evidence markers. A roommate of the victim and defendant, who was not present at the scene, reportedly told police she found Mason’s bedroom in disarray and blood on the floor when she returned home on the day of the shooting.
Further evidence suggests that Paschal sent a message to a family member of Mason’s stating, “he was going to be with [the victim] and tell his family he was sorry.” Paschal was arrested on an unrelated issue on Thursday when police discovered a 9 mm pistol they believe links him to the fatal shooting at the Valero